Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Torrance, CA and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,223 a month against $3,520 in Torrance, CA, rent and utilities included – about $15,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Torrance, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,520
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Torrance, CA and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Torrance, CA and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,520 in Torrance, CA versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

  • Torrance, CA $3,520
  • Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,192 in Torrance, CA versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

  • Torrance, CA $5,192
  • Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,864 in Torrance, CA versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

  • Torrance, CA $6,864
  • Lisbon $4,319

Living in Torrance, CA is roughly 58% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Torrance, CA 161% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Torrance, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.76 $24.76
$16.50 €14.67
50.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.5 $78.5
$61.3 €54.5
28.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.75 $14.75
$11.27 €10.03
30.88%
Cappuccino
$4.66 $4.66
$3.06 €2.72
52.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77 $3.77
$2.26 €2.01
66.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 $2.74
$1.73 €1.54
58.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.06 $8.06
$3.39 €3.02
137.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.85 $9.85
$3.40 €3.02
189.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Torrance, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 $1.29
$1.12 €1.00
15.18%
White Bread (500g)
$4.70 $4.70
$1.86 €1.65
152.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.89 $4.89
$1.53 €1.36
219.61%
Eggs
$4.47 $4.47
$3.96 €3.53
12.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.62 $11.62
$12.76 €11.35
-8.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.07 $16.07
$7.90 €7.02
103.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.91 $19.91
$16.97 €15.09
17.32%
Apples (1kg)
$5.02 $5.02
$2.27 €2.02
121.15%
Banana (1kg)
$2.33 $2.33
$1.75 €1.55
33.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.73 $4.73
$1.85 €1.64
155.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.55 $5.55
$2.57 €2.28
115.95%
Potato (1kg)
$3.06 $3.06
$1.86 €1.65
64.52%
Onion (1kg)
$3.14 $3.14
$2.02 €1.80
55.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.08 $2.08
$1.44 €1.28
44.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.62 $2.62
$0.82 €0.73
219.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.92 $12.92
$6.56 €5.83
96.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.89 $14.89
$5.62 €5.00
164.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.46 $2.46
$1.28 €1.14
92.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 $3.06
$2.07 €1.84
47.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Torrance, CA
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.97 $1.97
$2.35 €2.09
-16.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.40 $40.40
$44.18 €39.30
-8.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 $3.13
$3.99 €3.55
-21.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.84 $1.84
$1.09 €0.97
68.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.67 $32.67
$16.64 €14.81
96.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 $1.46
$2.28 €2.03
-35.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K $36.8K
$33.7K €30.0K
9.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K $26.5K
$39.3K €35.0K
-32.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Torrance, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$256 $256
$167 €149
52.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.2 $53.2
$18.80 €16.72
183.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.2 $72.2
$33.09 €29.43
118.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Torrance, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$59.3 $59.3
$46.01 €40.93
28.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.36 $25.36
$19.19 €17.07
32.15%
Cinema Ticket
$19.95 $19.95
$9.84 €8.75
102.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Torrance, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,694 $1,694
$677 €602
150.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.1K $15.1K
$16.9K €15.1K
-10.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Torrance, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.5 $64.5
$101 €90.1
-36.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.7 $63.7
$45.76 €40.70
39.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 $107
$100.0 €88.9
6.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$192 $192
$123 €109
56.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Torrance, CA
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,612 $2,612
$1,614 €1,436
61.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,941 $1,941
$1,197 €1,065
62.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,298 $4,298
$2,862 €2,545
50.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,426 $3,426
$1,990 €1,770
72.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,546 $7,546
$7,577 €6,740
-0.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,336 $6,336
$4,307 €3,831
47.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Torrance, CA
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,675 $5,675
$1,588 €1,412
257.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.39
3.85
65.97%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Torrance, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Torrance, CA
$1.9K
Lisbon
$1.2K 38.3% $744
Groceries & Markets
Torrance, CA
$461
Lisbon
$269 41.6% $192
Eating Out
Torrance, CA
$384
Lisbon
$242 37% $142
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Torrance, CA
$381
Lisbon
$219 42.5% $162
Clothing & Footwear
Torrance, CA
$192
Lisbon
$166 13.4% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Torrance, CA
$99
Lisbon
$66 33.8% $34
Getting Around
Torrance, CA
$61
Lisbon
$63 4% $2.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,612 in Torrance, CA and $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Torrance, CA pays 257% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $79.0 in Torrance, CA vs $61.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $461 vs $269 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Torrance, CA
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
16:24 4:24 PM
00:24 12:24 AM
8 h ahead of Torrance, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
142,350
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Torrance, CA Lisbon 9,140 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Torrance, CA
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Torrance, CA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Torrance, CA and in Lisbon?
Torrance, CA and Lisbon differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($3,520 vs $2,223 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Torrance, CA or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 257% higher in Torrance, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Torrance, CA and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,612 in Torrance, CA versus $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Torrance, CA and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $1,694 in Torrance, CA versus $677 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in Torrance, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,223 in Lisbon versus $3,520 in Torrance, CA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Torrance, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Torrance, CA and Lisbon?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Torrance, CA or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Torrance, CA and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Torrance, CA or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Torrance, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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